Remember The Thoroughbred Option - Thirteen

Chair Lift xx had few mares because he had a smashed wither, having somersaulted in his first race, and ended up as a 15.3 horse that the department wouldn’t approve. Yet he sired ABBERVAIL DREAM, who jumped on 44 Nations Cup Teams with Britains Di Lampard, and went to two World Cup finals, two Europeans and one Olympics, where they were part of the Bronze Medal Team.

He was also the damsire of both CARLING KING, ridden by the wonderful Irish rider Kevin Babbington, who was the leading Nations Cup Horse in the world in 2001, 8th at the World Equestrian Games in 2002 and 4th in the Olympics of 2004; and HIGH DOLLY, who was the dam of my Olympic and WEG pair MANDIBA and HIGH KINGDOM, and their stallion brother JACKAROO.

Chair Lift xx was by the Hyperion xx stallion HIGH HAT XX, who consistently still appears in jumping pedigrees. High Hat xx was a high class racehorse himself, being 4th in the Arc de Triomphe and once beating wonder filly PETITE ETOILE XX, one of the top rated race fillies of all time. Petite Etoile xx was by the FAIR TRIAL XX stallion PETITION XX. Fair Trial xx, together with his sire FAIRWAY XX and his other sons COURT MARTIAL XX and COURVILLE XX, have been major influences on successful event horse and show jumping breeding. Fairway xx’s full brother PHAROS XX was also sire of NEARCO XX, one of the Gods of racing breeding. (So in my book Fairway xx and Pharos xx rate alongside the Hyperion xx and Precipitation xx/Hurry On xx jumping dynasties.)

SHADOW GATE XX & GAMUT XX

Ela-Mana-Mou xx is in the pedigree of two horses who are currently available to sport horse breeders, SHADOW GATE XX and GAMUT XX. Shadow Gate xx was a tough racehorse who is by Arc de Triomphe winner WHITE MUZZLE XX, whose damsire was Ela-mana-Mou xx.

While it was Gamut xx’s damsire that was Ela-Mana-Mou xx, and he is the sire of those two current top steeplechasers and Aintree jumpers, ROAD TO RESPECT XX and ROAD TO RICHES XX. He was a top class mile and a half horse himself.

Very similar to Ela-Mana-Mou xx’s breeding is the winner of both the English Derby and Irish Derby, TROY XX. Troy xx was by PETINGO XX, while Ela-Mana-Mou xx’s grandsire was by Petingo xx . Both also have Hyperion xx, Chanteur xx & other connections and full of proven jumping genes. Troy xx is also the dam sire of WESTERNER XX, the top National Hunt stallion.

They still describe the breeding of these two horses as ‘old fashioned’, but they both certainly still produce the goods.

Recently the worlds richest horse race in Dubai ($12m) was won by MAXIMUM SECURITY XX. He is by Breeder’s Cup winner New Years Day xx, who is by previous winner of the Dubai Gold Cup Street Cry xx. And guess who is Street Cry’s damsire? It’s Troy xx. She was called Helen Street xx and won The Irish Oaks herself.